Super Hotel JR Naraekimae Sanjodori

The hotel has a clean room with a bathtub, but space is limited, so I wouldn’t bring more than two pieces of luggage. Its location is excellent, close to JR Nara Station and the bus interchange, with plenty of restaurants and supermarkets nearby. Pyjamas are provided, and you can pick another pillow in addition to the ones in the room. Coin-operated laundry machines are on the 3rd floor, open from 7am to 12 midnight. Every day from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, free alcohol is served in the dining area. I’ll miss the morning breakfast view over JR Nara Station and the beautiful old station building. Breakfast is Japanese style, and I look forward to it each morning. They make an effort to vary some dishes from day to day. This is my second stay at Super Hotel, after the one near Tokyo Station. They consistently provide excellent service. The staff are polite, and they even made us coffee when the machine broke on the morning we were heading to our marathon. I’ve nothing but compliments for the hotel and staff for making guests feel at home.

The room is small, but that’s understandable in Japan. Even so, it’s convenient and has a bathtub in the small bathroom. The location is very good, and every staff member is friendly and smiling. They leave you alone until you need something, then they show up right when needed. There are lots of free options, including different pillows, skin care products, drinks, and alcohol for three hours each night. The breakfast is delicious too. It’s a great hotel.

The mattress was so thin I could feel the wooden boards underneath, and I couldn’t sleep well. Breakfast was quite nice, with a bit of variety each day. They first put me in a smoking room, which was about as bad as it sounds for a non-smoker. The staff were very kind, though, and moved me to a non-smoking room from the second night onward.

Free breakfast and drinks every day, and the hotel feels clean and like a home away from home. The rooms are minimalist but efficient and practical. It’s my go-to place when I visit Nara. Front desk staff speak English well and can store luggage before check-in. There’s a large supermarket across the street under the Nara Station, and the hotel is right next to Sanjo Dori. It’s about a 10-minute walk to see the deer in the park. Relaxing and affordable.